Thursday, January 29, 2015

This probably won't be the last time you hear about smaller living spaces
this year. The fact is, there's a portion of the population that wants or needs
less. That's especially true for millennials, according to a report from the
National Association of Home Builders.
Income, housing costs, busy schedules, retirement and concern for the
environment are factors pushing this trend forward, so it’s not just limited to
people who became adults at the turn of the century.
So if you’re moving to a smaller space or considering it, you might
appreciate these online resources:

Becoming Minimalist: The author of
this blog, Joshua Becker, says the best things in life aren’t things. Becker
writes about his family’s effort to change their focus from materialism. www.becomingminimalist.com

National Association of Realtors:
The association’s “Field Guide to the Small House Movement” is a compilation of
links for those considering miniature homes. The association included a reminder
that New Yorkers in Manhattan have lived in tiny spaces for decades. www.realtor.org

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Make your backyard a better home for wildlife this year. That's one of the
things we all can do for the environment, says Earnie McLaney. Planting trees is
another.
But that's not enough, says McLaney, president of Charlotte Reconnecting
Ourselves With Nature, or CROWN. We also need to make sure to look after the
other natural resources that are special to us, including farms, waterways and
parks.
McLaney sent out an email blast last week asking people to get involved in
protecting the places we would want our grandchildren to enjoy one day.
His letter is a response to two bills on EPA policy that are moving through
Congress.
McLaney’s views on those proposals – H.R.1422 and H.R.4012 – are not the
subject here. He does want to remind us that we need a healthy ecosystem for our
survival, just like the creatures outside. That means we need to pay attention
as changes take place in the agencies we’ve put in charge of protecting it.
So devote some time to making your backyard more welcoming to wildlife. But
save some time for working with your neighbors through environmental groups in
our area.
He suggests the N.C.
Conservation Network, N.C. Audubon, Catawba Riverkeeper and Catawba Land Conservancy. CROWN, the
organization McLaney leads, is a local chapter for the N.C. Wildlife
Federation.Karen’s blog: http://homelifeclt.blogspot.com; on Twitter @sullivan_kms.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Your smartphone or tablet can become a tool for cutting household waste and
making choices that are better for the environment and perhaps your health.
Apps for “green” living are becoming more popular and useful. These are worth
a try:PaperKarma makes it
easier to stop junk mail from filling your mailbox, your home and ultimately the
landfill. Take a photo of the pesky mailer you want to stop. PaperKarma goes to work to remove you from the
mailing list.Good Guide gives you ratings on eco-friendly products, including shampoos,
cosmetics and cleaning products. Scan the bar code to see pros and cons for the
contents.iRecycle helps you find
places and ways to recycle more than 350 materials. Batteries, construction
waste, household items, and garden and hazardous waste are some of the items it
can help with.Go Green, shown at left, offers tips for a greener lifestyle, with a new
idea popping up each time you open the app. Also get a “green” rating for
yourself, based on your habits. Sierra Club Trail Explorer has information on more than
40,000 trails in North America. Use the app to compile trail lists and write
reviews. With an account on AllTrails.com, you can also sync to GPS.

Friday, January 9, 2015

The school run by the Mecklenburg County Beekeepers Association has been around
at least 12 years, and Jodie Rierson is Bee School principal.
It takes a special person to aspire to that position. Rierson, who’ll welcome
a new class of students Jan. 13, has been fascinated with honeybees since
childhood. The honey she now harvests from her four backyard hives is one reason
she continues to enjoy them. And she finds much more to admire about these
communal creatures.
“It’s how smart they are,” said Rierson, 51, an association member for three
years. “It’s incredible to me that they take the nectar from flowers and they
cure the honey, they fan and evaporate the water out of it, they ripen it and
cap it. How do they do all of that?”
Honeybees also pollinate plants that produce our food. Colonies have been
declining, so Rierson was pleased to welcome more than 100 people –
grade-schoolers to seniors – to the school last year to learn how to care for
bees and manage hives of their own.
The class costs $70 and will take place 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 13-March 17, at Providence Baptist Church, 4921 Randolph Road. To sign up, register online at www.meckbees.org.Build, Remodel and Landscape Expo has returned
The 16th annual Build, Remodel and Landscape Expo continues Jan. 10 and 11
Saturday and Sunday at the Charlotte Convention Center,
501 S. College St. More than 10,000 people are expected to attend the show,
which started Friday.
The show includes hundreds of exhibitors (remodelers, designers and
landscapers), along with seminars and demonstrations. For more information,
visit www.HomeShowCenter.com.

Karen Sullivan

About this blog

Karen Sullivan is a writer and editor for The Charlotte Observer's SmarterLiving section. In print and online, SmarterLiving looks at new products, the latest technology and "green" trends for your home. Join us here on Homelife to learn more about people (and places) who inspire us to make life at home better.